Honda's TRX420 is a rugged ATV that appeals to the sensible rider

Originally published: October 2, 2013

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COLUMBUS, OHIO — About the only way to acquire one of Honda’s FourTrax ATVs from those who own one, it seems, is to pry it from their cold dead hands. Such is the following for this versatile quad that Honda, even after asking current owners to criticize the machine, received little more than shrugged shoulders. No wonder more than 1.5 million of them have been sold since the model’s inception in the mid-1980s.

Still, Honda has gone ahead and engineered, tested and produced a new 420, known as the TRX420 in Canada but as the Rancher in the U.S. The new 420 was developed almost entirely at Honda’s sprawling R&D Americas complex in Liberty, Ohio.

The centre itself is a fascinating place, spread out over two-and-a-half football fields and housing some 2,000 staff, all of whom wear Honda white uniforms — even the VPs. The R&D centre, just north of Honda’s Marysville, Ohio, assembly plant where the Accord is built, does everything from computer-aided 3D prototype designs to crash testing cars, blending knowledge gained from the building of automobiles with the powersports arm that developed the new 420.

The 2014 TRX420 gains a suite of changes, from a new double-cradle steel frame that’s 20% stiffer, to new bodywork, to multiple small things that make the ATV easy to live with since it will, seemingly, work as hard as it plays. The size, for one, is not as intimidating as larger CC models, though it does still weigh between 272 and 290 kilograms.

Still, the TRX420 goes where it’s told as well as an English pointer with a 12 o’clock tail. The electronic power steering (EPS) is a big benefit, as it is devoid of any harsh kickback and provides good feedback. The ride is firm and stable, the low centre of gravity making it feel less tippy than other ATVs, thus improving rider confidence and safety. Shifting from 2WD to 4WD comes in the form of a good ol’-fashioned lever to the left, rather than a button, but riders do need to be at a crawl before throwing the shifter forward to get four-wheel traction. Canada does not get 2WD base models.

As I’m accustomed to riding a 700 CC ATV, I suspected the 420, with its smaller displacement, might feel inadequate or underpowered. And maybe it did feel a tad tapped out on the top end, but that might have more to do with the hooliganism of my youth and being spoiled by my old Honda CR250. I suspect, for 99% of sensible ATV riders, the Rancher will have all the power most will ever need. It can also tow some 385 kilograms. While power from the 420 CC, fuel-injected and liquid-cooled engine has not increased, fuel economy is better by some 10%.

Pleasing, too, was Honda’s manual five-speed transmission. Of course, Honda makes much hay of its automatic, dual-clutch transmission, which is available only on the top-end model in Canada, the TRX420FPA. This model also comes with EPS and lists for $8,499, but is available in orange only. (Why Honda Canada doesn’t also offer it in red is beyond me. The other models come in red, green and a new camo.) The five-speed DCT automatic, which can be used in either automatic or a manual mode, received updated mapping for 2014. In a rugged, narrow and hilly off-road track, the automatic seemed to find the right gear for most conditions, and gear engagement varies according to rider use, so shifts are more immediate when you’re thrashing the poor thing over logs and rocks in the forest as opposed to just riding out to feed the horses.

But, much like a manual transmission in a sports car, the manual in the TRX420, and not the autobox, had a way of delivering the most pleasure. Found on the base model (TRX420FM) that starts at $7,199, and the mid-level model that gains EPS at $7,899, the manual clicks through gears with authority. Shifts are solid, strong and easy to complete smoothly without having to fuss with a clutch lever. It makes ATV riding for novice riders that much easier, though I wish the gear indicator numbers on the smallish instrumentation panel were larger. The panel does gain an electronic fuel gauge, clock, coolant temperature reader and &quot;maintenance minder; system.

Other rider-friendly elements have been added to the 420. The gas cap, for example, is close to the front fender for easy filling of the now-larger fuel tank. The fuel pump has been relocated to inside the fuel tank. The turn radius is tighter. The rear brake drum has been moved further to the right wheel on the solid rear axle to keep out dirt. The headlamps are brighter and the brake lamp is LED.

All of which make Honda’s TRX420 that much more usable today than it has ever been. Just as the displacement of this ATV has grown over the years, so too will its following.